Retired senior Indian police officer denied entry to Canada at YVR

Undated submitted photo of Tejinder Singh Dhillon, a former inspector general of police for the Central Reserve Police Force in India, who was detained detained by Canadian Border Service Agency guards at Vancouver International Airport in May 2017 before being told he was "inadmissible" to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Tejinder Singh Dhillon / PNG

Despite having visited Canada many times in the last 30 years, sometimes on official business, a former high-ranking Indian police officer was barred from entering Canada last week at Vancouver International Airport.

Tejinder Singh Dhillon, a former inspector general of police for the Central Reserve Police Force, told the Hindustan Times on Tuesday that he was detained by Canadian Border Service Agency guards before being told he was “inadmissible” under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Dhillon said he had a visa valid for entry to Canada until 2024.

According to the Hindustan Times, Dhillon was initially shown a letter which said he was being denied entry under section 35(1)(b) of the act, which says he was “a prescribed senior official in the service of a government that, in the opinion of the Minister, engages or has engaged in terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide, a war crime or a crime against humanity within the meaning of subsections 6(3) to (5) of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.”

A second document given to Dhillon removed the allegation about the government of India, instead pointing to subsection (c) as the reason: “being a person, other than a permanent resident, whose entry into or stay in Canada is restricted pursuant to a decision, resolution or measure of an international organization of states or association of states, of which Canada is a member, that imposes sanctions on a country against which Canada has imposed or has agreed to impose sanctions in concert with that organization or association.”

Kwantlen Polytechnic University professor Shinder Purewal is a friend of Dhillon’s and he called the situation a “nightmare.”

“He’s been here numerous times,” Purewal told Postmedia on Tuesday, raising concerns about a possible shift in policy by the border agency. “Officers don’t go outside of the manual they’re given,” he said

Alleging either Dhillon or the police service he worked for were somehow in violation of the law was absurd, he said. The CRPF is a national force, not unlike the RCMP.

“It’s like labelling the entire RCMP,” he said. “It’s very serious. They must be doing this to others.”

Even the switch to making the issue Dhillon himself was ridiculous.

“They couldn’t cite a single news story (naming Dhillon),” he said.

Purewal said that the guards initially wouldn’t give Dhillon, who is 67 and a diabetic, water or a visit to the bathroom. The guards accused him of either participating or knowing about human rights violations by the CRPF, Dhillon said.

Only after the intervention of Dhillon’s wife, a doctor, did guards give him some food and water, Purewal said.

The situation has drawn the attention of the government of India.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay told the Hindustan Times: “We have seen the news report regarding denial of entry by Canadian authorities to a senior retired Indian police officer. Such a characterization of a reputed force like the CRPF is completely unacceptable. We have taken up the matter with the Government of Canada.”

In a statement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada replied, “IRCC is aware that an Indian national was denied entry to Canada. We regret any inconvenience that may have been experienced by this individual and their family. Canada’s privacy laws prevent us from commenting further.

“Canada continues to welcome record numbers of Indian nationals for study, tourism, business, and visiting friends and family. Over the past year, over 300,000 Indian nationals have applied to visit Canada. From time to time, with such a large number of applications, oversights on visa applications can happen which is regrettable. In situations where established procedures may not have been followed, a review takes place to avoid any reoccurrence.”

“Of course, the Canadian Foreign Minister has in a public statement stated that Canada has the highest regard for India’s democratic institutions and processes and also respect for India’s armed forces and related institutions. But let me once again say we did take up the matter, we expressed serious concern and we continue to take this matter very seriously.”

Neither the CBSA nor Global Affairs Canada have, as yet, replied to a request for comment.

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